Second Harvest Food Bank director says hunger an 'unseen epidemic'
June 06, 2003
By J.H. Osborne
GRAY - More than 20,000 children in Northeast Tennessee receive free or reduced-price meals at local schools. "And unfortunately, they may not have the food they need throughout summer," Rhonda Chafin said Thursday, which was National Hunger Awareness Day.
Chafin is executive director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee. She and others involved in the organization's ongoing effort to provide food to the hungry gathered to mark the day's purpose - raising awareness that hunger not only exists but is "an unseen epidemic."
Across the nation, an estimated 9 million children go hungry each day, Chafin said. "And it grows more acute in the summer," Chafin said. "We must increase awareness." Don Cook, president of Second Harvest's board of directors, also cited a need to expose hunger as a real problem. "It is a huge problem in Northeast Tennessee," Cook said.
Several awards were presented to organizations that have contributed to Second Harvest. Food Lion was named the Food Donor of the Year for 2002. The grocery store chain donated more than 172,000 pounds of food to Second Harvest in 2002. Food Lion kicked off its "Hunger Has A Cure" campaign Thursday.
The store-level effort gives Food Lion patrons an opportunity to donate at the checkout. The goal is to raise $358,000. The National Association of Letter Carriers was awarded Food Drive of the Year for 2002 honors for collecting more than 60,000 pounds of food in one day.
Kraft Foods Inc. was given special recognition for several years of financial and food donations to Second Harvest. "Without the help of donors like Kraft, we would not be able to serve the needy in our community," Chafin said.
Cook said donors like Food Lion, Kraft and individuals who contribute to food drives like the one conducted by the letter carriers are "the lifeblood" of Second Harvest. "Without donors it would be impossible for us to fight the fight against hunger in our area," Cook said.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee is located at 127 Dillon Court, Gray, TN 37615. The organization's Web address is www.netfoodbank.org.
For more information about hosting a food drive, volunteering or donating contact Nicole Austin at 477-4053. - J.H. Osborne
Copyright 2003 Kingsport Times-News.
Hunger and risk of hunger well known in Tennessee
Kingsport Times-News, September 3, 2002
By Tim Whaley
KINGSPORT - In Tennessee and the Tri-Cities, hunger has a face. And that face might belong to an ordinary person standing right next to you.
"I'm sorry, we don't have any food today," Hunger First of the Tri-Cities Executive Coordinator Cindy Risk told a rather nondescript man who walked into her office off of Center Street last week.
Having to make that statement pains Risk greatly, having dedicated the last four years of her life at Hunger First to trying to provide the basics in life to those in need.
But Risk isn't alone in the battle, and the battle is a large one in Tennessee according to the latest report developed from federal data by the Center on Hunger and Poverty.
The center, based at Brandeis University, indicates that Tennessee ranks 10th in the country in terms of the largest populations who are regularly hungry, and 13th in "food insecurity," which the center deems to be those who are uncertain of where their next meal will come from.
Using three years of survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the center reports that 660,000 people, including 222,000 children, in Tennessee are not certain of their next meal.
Of those, 126,000 adults and 51,000 children are classified as regularly hungry.
The center is urging the U.S. Senate to reject U.S. House "cuts" into food stamp and other programs through a "super waiver" provision heralded by some as increasing state flexibility in allocating federal assistance.
Opponents fear the legislation's authorization, which allows governors to waive program rules and regulations without public input or legislative oversight.
Such a waiver could allow funds to be shifted from one qualifying group to another, or tinkering with income eligibility requirements.
While the issues are waged on a national scale, Risk says she has personally dealt with hunger issues for 14 years at the local level, whether personally or on behalf of the public.
Assistance is available through different venues, but Risk, a political cartoonist by hobby, says her motto has become "You Do Not Qualify" when talking of many assistance agencies.
"You ask for help, and all you get are questions," Risk said. "And if they don't qualify, they do not feed them."
At the center, Risk said the "upper class meets the lower class," with both classes numbered among those who try to help and those in need of help.
Hunger First, founded in 1998, serves as many as 1,000 people in a month in one way or another. The organization stocks clothing, food stuffs and a few over the counter medicines and hygiene products when they can get them.
Risk says the public safety net allows many to slip through - the sick, the unshakably addicted, and those who have run into hard luck through countless ways.
And Risk says that with cutbacks in TennCare, shortened time-frames for public assistance for the once employed, and an economic downturn, the situation is worsening within the greater Tri-Cities of Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
In fact, Risk said she has seen an influx of folks, from as far as New York or Mexico, all looking for work.
"Do you really think it's getting better," Risk asks. "The need for food is always here. There are people who live under bridges right here."
Persons suffering from diabetes, an emerging national problem, are also frequent visitors to Risk's office.
But even those "who are dumpster divers try to give back in their own way," Risk said, pointing to a collection of newish looking stuffed animals that hang from the ceiling, all rescued from trash bins.
The center is not church-affiliated, although a couple of churches pitch in. The organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and USDA-certified. But filling the pantry isn't easy.
"It doesn't matter who you are, you can help," Risk said. "If you want to do the Jesus thing, there's no better place to try.
"I say God bless to all, because we couldn't do it without them."
For more information, Risk can be reached at her office at 504 E. Center St. during the pantry's hours, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day. Risk's phone number at the office is 392-3644.
Copyright 2002 Kingsport Times-NewsWhy people are hungry
Kingsport Times-News September 12, 2002
Re. the story on Hunger First's efforts to feed the hungry, Coordinator Cindy Risk said if folks "want to do the Jesus thing, there's no better place to try. I say God bless to all, because we couldn't do it without them."
Jesus is not a thing. He is God, Son of God and Holy Spirit. I don't believe there are so many people going hungry as she says. I give canned goods at designated places. These people would not need it if they would stop playing the lottery, drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.
They take their rent money, car payment and grocery money is the reason for these people's financial troubles.
God provides for all, if you trust in him. You've got to live for him, seven days a week, not just two hours on Sunday. No one has a habit they can't quit.
Robert L. Barr
Kingsport
Copyright 2002 Kingsport Times-News
Don't blame hungry
Kingsport Times-News September 18, 2002
Re. Robert L. Barr's letter about why people are hungry, it is absolutely ridiculous to suggest that all hungry people use all their money on "lottery, drinking alcohol, and smoking cigarettes."
Some people can't find a job or don't make enough money at their job to pay for all their expenses. It's hard to get by these days when you have a good job, much less with a minimum wage job or no job at all. I'm sure that there are some that waste their money, but to make the suggestion that all hungry people have brought their hunger on themselves is nothing short of crazy.
And there are Christians in this world who are hungry too.
Barbara Blaser
Kingsport
Copyright 2002 Kingsport Times-News
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